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clear that the problem of accommodating this friend was on his
mind from early in the summer, when I apparently approached
him for formal permission regarding the selection of his poems to
be included in the anthology that Sherrard and I had been working
on sporadically for four years (both of us were working on other
books during that period) and planned to finish in August —
as proved to be the case. Seferis writes Warner in June that he
would like to ask his opinion “about another matter — Edmund
Keeley came to see me the other day and asked me the permission
to include some of my poems in an anthology of modern Greek
Poetry . . . ,” and he goes on to list the Seferis poems I had listed
in the table of contents of the projected anthology that I had sent
him back in October 1955, though now, four years later, with the
addition of several poems from Mythistorema, the three-part poem
“Thrush,” and the substitution of “Engomi” for “Three Mules.” Seferis
concludes: “I told Keeley that I cannot give him an answer
before I consult you. Do you think that this anthology might create
difficulties for the book we are planning together?”
From the same letter we learn that Kimon Friar, one of the earliest
and most prolific translators of Modern Greek poetry into
English, including Kazantzakis’ vast sequel to Homer’s Odyssey, was
also approaching Seferis for rights at this time: “Kimon Friar who
after his Odyssean success seems to be in the earthly paradise
(Hollywood — radio — book societies — all the means of spreading
and crushing thought are now in his hands) wrote to me that
he was getting ready a book of translations of my poems to be
published by Simon and Shuster [sic]. I answered to remind him
that he had not the rights and to tell him that I had other commitments
(without mentioning you). Friar whatever his talent is sometimes
silly, and now, I am afraid, he has become sillier.”
Warner answered Seferis three days later. About Friar: “I’m sure
you’re getting some very high-praised soliciting from Kimon Friar.
I review his ‘Odyssey’ in this month’s London Magazine.” About
Keeley: “My first reaction to Keeley’s proposal is to be rather against
having so many of your poems published in another book. Also I
wonder what the book is. Thames and Hudson usually go in for
very well done books of photographs. But we can talk about this.” 25
Apparently they both ruminated over the matter until September,
25 Warner to Seferis, 24 June 1959, Seferis archive, Gennadius Library.
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